Recent advances in applications of phase change materials in cold storage-A review

The renewable sources of energy are used as alternative sources due to the increase of global warming and environmental degradation created by the utilization of conventional sources of energy. The renewable or non-conventional energy sources are not able to supply continuous energy. Hence, the load on the mechanical systems which are used for heating and cooling applications is varied which reduces their performance. These problems can be overcome with the help of phase change materials (PCM). The PCM has higher energy density, specific heat and requires less space as compared to other conventional systems. The PCM can store large amount of thermal energy and hence it is used in various applications such as building, textile, solar heating, electronics, battery etc. Most of the PCMs available in market have low thermal conductivity and hence significant research work has been carried out to improve the properties of the PCMs. This paper critically reviews different types of PCMs, their properties, applications and recent advances. (c) 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Selection and peer-review under responsibility of the scientific committee of the International Conference on Materials and System Engineering.